Over 77.48 percent of National Assembly representatives voted for the plan, which envisions the first plant up and running by 2020.

According to the plan, the plants in Thuan Nam District’s Phuoc Dinh Commune and Ninh Hai District’s Vinh Hai Commune will supply a total capacity of around 2,000 megawatts.

The two projects are estimated to cost around VND200 trillion (US$11.13 million), according to the plan drawn up last year.

The assembly session also passed a resolution approving a plan to build a VND23.6-trillion ($1.3) hydropower plant in the northern province of Lai Chau. Work on the 1,200-megawatt plant in Muong Te District will begin by the end of next year for completion in 2017.